Tangleproof twine dispenser



Dec. 25, 1951 Filed Aug. 4. 1949 C- C. RICH TANGLEPROOF TWINE DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR M Md ATTORNEY Dec. 25, 1951 c. c. RICH 2,580,129

TANGLEPROOF TWINE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 4. 1949' 3 SheetsSheet 2 i /7 /7 INVENTOR Dec. 25, 1951 c c. RICH TANGLEPROOF TWINE DISPENSER 5 Sheets $heet 3 Filed Aug. 4, 1949 INVgITOR 44 BY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TANGLEPROOF TWINE DISPENSER Charles 0. Rich, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application August 4, 1949, Serial No. 108,561

4 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to holders operative to dispense twine or wrapping cord or other fiexible line as it is uncoiled from a cop to be severed for use in a store or in the home; such as in tying up packages.

One object of the invention is to provide a holding and dispensing unit for a cop of twine which shall be proof against causing or permitting the twine to snarl or snag however carelessly or abruptly the same may be pulled away from the cop.

Another object is to provide a rotatable carrier for so holding a, cop of twine that it may turn with unusual freedom for playing ofi the twine and yet prevent snarling and snagging of I loose stretches or loops of the twine which tend to result from overrunning of the cop in a rotary direction when it is spun around in abruptly yanking off a length of the twine to be used.

A further object is to provide means for preventing such snarling and snagging which shall be equally effective both when the cop is full of twine and when the supply of twine is nearly depleted.

A further object is to provide a stand for a cop holding spindle or turntable so constructed that the turntable together with the cop may conveniently be'removed from and restored to the stand.

A further object is to provide a cop holding turntable characterized by the above advantages on which cops of different sizes may be installed removably and interchangeably.

A still further object is to attain the stated features of operation when conventional cops are employed whose core tubes project beyond the winding of twine at one or both axial ends of the cop.

The foregoing and related objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of a successful embodiment thereof having reference to the appended drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a twine dispensing stand incorporating a rotary cop holder embodying the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the unit of Fig. 1 taken partially in cross section on the horizontal planes 2-2 in Fig. 3, showing the twine of the cop nearly depleted.

Fig. 3 is a view taken in section on the vertical plane 33 in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view taken in section on the plane 4-4 in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view looking in the direction of arrow S in Fig. 2 showing a detail of the free end of the snarl preventing guard band.

. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view looking downward on Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the structure in Fig. 3 showing a modified relationship of the guard ring to the turntable.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view like Fig. 3 showing a modified construction of turntable with associated guard ring arranged as in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of the structure in Fig. 7 showing parts in section on a central vertical plane perpendicular to plane 33 in Fig. 2.

In Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, the stationary stand of the holder is designated [2 and'the rotary spindle or turntable that carries the cop is designated [3.

Stand 12 includes a stationary frame incorporating a mounting base l4 whose flanges l5 may be secured to a wooden counter IE or the like by screws I! and a frame strip l8 whose bent length includes a bottom extension l9 secured to base M as by rivets 20 with a riser section 2| which is bent to form a horizontal bridge section 22 which again is bent to slope downward and form the thread guiding tongue 23 containing the guide hole 28 through which the twine or cord 25 runs in being pulled 01f from the cop 24. A brace 29 may be provided at the upper bent corner of the riser section 2| secured by a rivet 26 to the riser section 2| and by a rivet 21 to the bridge section 22 for adding rigidity to the frame strip in this region.

The cord or twine 25 in accordance with commercial practice is machine wound on a stiff hollow cardboard core 30. According to the principles of this invention I seat the lower end of core 30 on a turntable 3| which in one form of the invention may be flat except for a raised conical center boss 32 bumped up from the sheet metal of the disc and perforated by a central hole through which passes the vertical spindle 34. In other and preferred forms of the invention the turntable may be differently constructed as hereinafter described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9. In Figs. 1 to 7, a thrust shoulder 35 on spindle 34 fits the concavity in boss 32 so that disc 3| may seat on said boss and be fixed thereon in perpendicular relation to the axis of spindle 34.

Spindle shoulder 35 rests rotatably on the top of a stationary vertical bearing bushing 36 which is fast in the mounting base Hi. The top end of spindle 34 is guided for free rotation in an elongated slot 31 in the bridge section 22 of frame strip [8, the right end of slot 31 in Fig. 3 affording rotation permitting constraint for the top end of spindle 34 when the latter is truly vertical, and the left end of slot 31 giving enough clearance to permit the turntable l3, together with the cop 24 mounted thereon, to be lifted clear of bearing bushing 36 and canted into the broken line position in Fig. 3 whereupon they can be withdrawn in unison and completely from stand l2. Thus mounting base l4 and bridge section 22 comprise spaced apart cop straddling frame portions and the distance between them is spanned by the spindle 34.

For retaining the cop core 30 in centered position on the turntable, an axially expansive spring coil 48 is kept under tension between a thrust cup 4| loose on spindle 34 which bears downward against the top end of core 30 and a washer 32 loose on spindle 3'4 and held to a limit position therealong by the cotter pin 43 which in ordinary manner is removable from a crosswise hole through the spindle. Thus spring 40 presses'the cop resiliently in a direction to urge it axially against the turntable.

The important snarl preventive features of my improved dispensing stand reside partly in structure that is stationary with frame l2 and partly in structure that is carriedby the turntable [3.

The stationary part of the snarl preventing means involves line deflecting structure stationary with the frame distributed about and extending axially alongside the spindle 34 at sufficient'radial distance therefrom to accommodate the turntable and cop inwardly of such line defleetin structure in freely turnable relation thereto. It' includes a fiat horizontal guard ring 46 supportedin Fig. 3 just-below and barely out of contact with the turntable disc 31 by means of a mounting saddle 41 continuous with the periphery of the ring. The down-turned end 48 of saddle comprises a tongue which tucks snugly and'removably into'a slot provided between the riser section 2| of frame strip [8 and a socket forming loop 49 which may be welded fixedly on the riser section 2! of the frame strip. Upstanding from'and-continuous with the metal of guard ring 46 there are four guard posts 58 illustrative of spaced barriers which, in addition to riser section 2!, limit the outward cast of loose strands of twine away from the cop '24 and deflect and constrain the twine to prevent its tangling. These posts together with guard ring '4iialso effectively prevent the twine from escaping to a point below the bottom surface of turntable [3 at the outer-edge of the latter and prevent the twine from snagging on any parts of thestand that are stationed beneath the turntable.

To-prevent snarlin of twine on the turntable itself, such as might be caused by Wedging of the twine between the bottom of the cop and the top of turntable disc 31, there isprovided a resilient contractile guard in the form of a thin band spring 53 which yieldably hugs the bottom end of the outside layer of twine on the cop regardless of how nearly full of twine or how nearly empty the-core 30 may be. The anchored end 54 of spring 53 is looped about and free'to swing on a stud 55 fixed in and upstanding from turntable disc 3|. A nut 56 in threaded engagement with the top end of stud 55 retains spring end 54 on the stud with the assistance of topand bottom thrust washers'58. The'inner end offhand spring 53 is free and is rounded as Well as flared outward as is 'best shown in Figs. and-6 toassist 4 in smooth play-off of the twine from the bottom end of the cop when lightly clamped by the band spring.

In the operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to '7, the twine or line of wrapping cord 25 will be pulled off from cop 24 through the guide hole 23 causing the cop 24 together with its turntable 13 to rotate to accommodate the playoff of the line. The line is normally pulled on from the cop in a direction to cause clockwise rotation of the cop with its turntable in Figs. 1, 2 and 6. This enables the windings of twine at the extreme bottom end of the cop to be played off smoothly and without danger of sna ging on the free end 5? of spring guard 53, as shown in :Figs. 5 and 6, even though these lower windings on the cop are always closely embraced by the yielding spring guard.

Nevertheless, Fig. 1 shows the presence of loose unwound convolutions of the twine surroundin thebottom portion of the cop, a condition'w'here in the twine 25 appears to extend from its guide hole '28 around the left side of the cop or spring guard 53 instead of the right side. Such condition might be occasioned by free overrnnningof thecop after a vigorous yank is given'to the line that would build-up excessive whirling momentum in the cop in a clockwise rotary direction in Fig. 1, whereupon the overrunning of the cop would begin to wind back loosely upon itself the uncontrolled length of line that had once een pulled off throu h guide hole 28. This isamost severe test of the dispensers ability to prevent accidental snarling and snagging of played-off stretches of the line because such action of the cop tends to cast'loops of "the line radially outward 'by centrifugal force. If uncontrolled, such loops would be certain to catch and snag on Incch'anical parts'of the stand or turntable. In this invention the loops of line are effectively we vented from snagging or snarling by the close proximity of turntablerlisct'l to its overlying stationary frame ring 46, and by the proximity of the bottom edge of guard band '53 to .the turntable :disc 'These features of construction preclude the twine from'being drawn in between band '53 and disc'G-I .as well as between the latter and its underlying frame ring 45.

As the supply of'twine on cop 24 becomes depleted the band 'Spring5'3 will automatically contract spirally or act automatically to coil itself up from its expanded broken line position in Fig. 2 to its relative'lycontracted full line position. The guard band thereby continues to hug the bottom end portion of the cop snugly until all twineis removedfromthe cop.

A new cop may be installed on turntable E3 in 'place'of'the' exhausted 'core '38 by merely lifting the turntable to its broken line position in Fig. '3'until the-bottom end'of-spindle 3G is'clear of the stand bearing 36. After this the top end of spindle 34 in unison with the turntable disc 3| maybe inclinedtoward the left in the elongated'bearin 'holebl in 'bridge section -22 of the frame stripso that the entire turntable is free tobeseparatedfromthestand i2. After this the empty core 33 may be removed by withdrawing cotterpin 43 from spindle 34'which frees spring 49 thrust washer 42 and thrust cup' li all ferremovalendwise from "spmdle34. This'permits a new full cop to be'installed in place of'the empty core 30, after which the parts 40,4! and 4'2 will be replaced andthezcotterjpinf43xrestored. The

reversing the manipulation by'which it'was removed involving no disassemblage of any parts requiring tools.

If'it be desired to remove the frame ring 46 from its retaining socket in loop 49, this can be done while turntable I3 is absent from the stand 12 by merely lifting the mounting tongue 48 of saddle 47 upward out of its socket to free it from the riser section 2| of frame strip I8.

In Fig. 7 the parts are so dimensioned and proportioned that the guard ring 46, as part of the line deflecting structure, closelyflanks the upper face instead of the lower face of the peripheral border of the turntable. It is mounted by the same kind of tongue and socket construction comprising saddle 41 and socket 49 as is guard ring 46 of Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive. This enables the guard ring to be displaced upwardly away from its proximity to the turntable before the turntable l3 and its spindle 34 are removed from the frame bearings 36 and 3'! as hereinbefore described.

In Figs. 8 and 9, the turntable I3 is equipped with a different expedient for preventing wedging or entrance of the twine between the bottom edge of the cop and the turntable. This involves substituting for the spring clamping band 53 an element 59 on the turntable having a funnelshaped upper support face 6| against which the bottom outer edge of the cop 24 is always pressed downward by the tension of spring 40. The manner of anchorage of this spring and its resilient function is the same in Figs. 8 and 9 as in Fig. 3. In Fig. 8 the line deflecting structure 46', 47, i8, 59 and 50 may be constructed as shown in Fig. '7. The coaction of spring 40, funnel face GI, and the downwardly dished presser cap 4| also serves to maintain the cop 24 and its core 30 centralized with respect to and turnable in unison with spindle 34.

Fig. 9 shows the manner in which the funnel shaped surface iii of the turntable l3 insures the pressure of spring 40 always being borne by the extreme outer circular edge of the body of twine, cord or other line that is wound on the core 30 of the cop. The broken line positions 24 and 2t" in Fig. 9 of an increasingly depleted cop show that this condition maintains throughout the withdrawal of line from the cop right up to the time the supply of twine is completely exhausted and the core 30 becomes bare. In other words, and contrary to Fig. 3, the core 30 will never abut against the turntable before all of the line wound on the cop is used up. Thus loose loops of line are always precluded from entering the space 62 between the lower end of the cop and the funnel-shaped top surface of the turntable by the perpetual pressure against the extreme outer edge of the wound cop however large or small in circumference the cop maybe. Such pressure is assured by the action of spring G8 which also prevents the cop from "jumping up away from face 6| which it might do in response to a yank on the line, particularly when the cop is nearly used up and light in weight.

To strengthen the sheet material of the element 59 of turntable l3 having the funnelshaped surface BI, and to prevent loose line from entering beneath it, a disc 3|, like disc 3| in Figs. 1 to '7, is fixed on spindle 34' and joined to the funnel element 59 of the turntable by a hollow cylindrical drum 63 which may be welded or otherwise permanently united with disc 3| and with the curled over circular top edge of the funnel element 59. This does away with sharp edges which can become nicked and with all 6 recesses or corners which could serve to catch and entangle loose coils of the line 25. The bearingiwasher 64 may also be welded to the turntable disc l3 and made of hard metal, if desired, for good wearing quality.

The distinctive features of construction which render my new dispenser tangle-proof and snagproof as well as compact, economical to produce in quantities, and simple to manipulate, may be embodied in a variety of shapes and arrangements of structure differing from the exact illustrations herein given to explain theinvention. The frame l9, 2|, 22, 23 can bemounted on a wall so that the axis of spindle 34 is horizontal or inclined, instead of vertical. In such cases the term turntable used in the claims has its broad dictionary significanceoi a support having horizontal bearings to support a bar or spindle with which a reel can turn when unwinding rope. The appended claims are directed to and intended to cover-all fair equivalents of the parts and assemblies herein disclosed which embody the invention and come within a broad interpretation of the terminology used in the claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 30,651, filed June 2,1948, now abandoned.

I claim:

1. A tangle preventing cop holder for paying off from a freely rotatable cop a flexible line wound on a hollow core to form the cop, including in combination, a stationary frame comprising spaced apart cop stradding frame portions, bearings located respectively on said frame portions, 2. spindle axially spanning a distance between said frame portions long enough to extend axially through the hollow core of the cop, a turntable fixed on said spindle relatively near one of said bearings having one of its sides disposed to face one axial end of said cop, said spindle being rotatable in said bearings with suflicient freedom to permit said turntable to overrun rotary motion directly imparted thereto by line impelled rotation of said cop, a resilient device on said spindle relatively near the other of said bearings deriving thrust from said spindle and disposed to press resiliently against the other axial end of said cop in a directiori to urge the cop axially against said side of the turntable with suflicient force to cause said cop to turn in unison with said turntable, and line deflecting and constraining structure including a ring-like platform closely flanking the peripheral border of said turntable and also including spaced barriers stationary with said frame distributed round about and extending axially alongside said spindle at sufficient radial distance therefrom to make room inside of said structure for said turntable and cop to overrun line impelled rotation of the latter.

2. A tangle preventing cop holder for paying off from a freely rotatable cop a flexible line wound on a hollow core to form the cop, including in combination, a stationary frame comprising spaced apart cop straddling frame portions,

bearings located respectively on said frame portions, a spindle axially spanning a distance between said frame portions long enough to extend axially through the hollow core of the cop, a turntable fixed on said spindle relatively near one of said bearings having one of its sides disposed to face one axial end of said cop, said spindle being rotatable in said bearings with sufficient freedom to permit said turntable to overrun rotary motion directly imparted thereto by line impelled rotation of said copra resilientzdevice on said spindle relatively near .the other ofsaid bearings deriving .thrust from said spindle and disposed to .pressresiliently against the other axial end of said cop inadirection to urge the cop axially againstsaid side of theturntable with sufficient forceto-cause said cop to turn in unison with saidturntable, and line deflecting and constrainingstructure including spacedbarriers stationary with said frame distributed round about and extending axially alongside saidspindle at sufficient radial distancetherefrom to make room insideof said structure for said turntableand cop to overrunlline impelled rotation of the latter and also includin a ringelike platform disposed in a position closely, flanking said side of said turntable with cooperative mountingdevices in partlon said stationary frame and in part on said: platform interengaging ii -a manner to support saidplatform fixedly and displaceably inits said position, whereby displacement of said platform may precede and facilitate removal of said spindle from'said frame bearings. 3. ,A tangle preventing cop holder for paying off :from a freely rotatable cop a flexible line wound ona hollow core to form the cop, including in combination, a stationary frame comprising spaced apart cop straddling frame portions, bearings located respectively on said frame portions, aispindle axially spanning a distance be tween said-frame portions long enough to extend axially through the hollow core of the cop; a turntable fixed on said spindle relatively near one of said bearings having one of its sides disposed toface one axial end ofsaid cop, the one of said bearings most remote from said turntable being elongated crosswise the axis of said spindle sufliciently to permit said spindle to be tipped in a manner to facilitate removal thereof from said bearings and said spindle being rotatable in said bearings with sufiicient freedom to permit said turntable to overrun rotary motion directly imparted thereto by line impelled rotation of said cop, a resilient device on said spindle relatively near the other of said bearings deriving thrust fromsaid spindle and disposed to press resiliently against the other axial end of said cop in a direction to urge the cop axially against said side of the turntable with sufficient force to cause said cop to turn in unison with said turntable, and line deflecting and constraining structure including spaced barriers stationary with said frame distributed round about and extending axially alongside said spindle at suflicient radial distance therefrom to make room inside of said structure for said turntable and cop to overrun line im-, pelled rotation of the latter.

'4. A tangle preventing cop holder for paying off from a freely rotatable cop a flexible line Wound on a hollow core to form thecop; including in combination, a stationary frame comprising spaced apart cop-straddling frame portions, bearings located respectively on said frame portions, .a spindle axially spanning a distance between said. frame portionslong enough to extend axially through the hollow core of the cop, a turntable fixed on said spindle relatively near one lof said bearingsnhaving ,one of its sides disposed ;,to face oneaxial .end of said cop, said spindle being rotatable insaid bearings with sufficientfreedom to permit said turntable tooverrun rotary motion directlyimparted thereto by line ,.impel1ed :rotation of said cop, a resilient device on said spindle relatively near the other of saidbearingsderiving thrust from said spindle disposed to press resiliently against the other axial end of said cop in a direction to urge the copaxially against said side of the turntable with suificient force to cause said cop to ,turn'in unison with said turntable, and line deflecting and constraining structure including spaced barriers stationary'with said frame distributed round about and extending axially alongside said spindle at sufiicientradial distance therefrom to make room inside of said structure for said turntable and cop tooverrun line impelled rotation of the latter, together with a looped leaf spring having one end pivotall anchored to said turntable andhaving its resilient ,length disposed to surround and yieldingly press against the perimeter of said cop while edge of ,said leaf spring is lsufiiciently close to said turntable to prevent line drawn of! the cop from enterin therebetween.

' CHARLES C. RICH.

appearances CITED The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

